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The Pug and Meez

About Me

Hi my name is Sandra,
I created this blog to keep everyone informed on whats going on in my buisness as well as at home. I am happily married to a wonderful man for 16 years. He supports me in everything I do and I realize I couldnt do half as much without him. We have 2 sons, one who is 25 years old and the other who is 7, they are the loves of our life. Also we have 2 spoiled dogs Pugsie and baby girl who we adore. I have a store in New Jersey that is full of romantic shabby chic decor. and I have a web site that features the one of a kind vintage jeweled photo frames that I design. I love to do anything artsie and though I dont consider myself a Picasso calibar artist I do consider myself an artist, for the most part self taught. I work with different mediums including paint, flowers, fabric and jewels. I love to create things design and decorate.
My store website is
www.mylulabelles.com

Sunday, March 29, 2009

Well here it is....Reveal day!!.....Wellll partial reveal day.......As you know Ive been planning on and talking about my kitchen redo for over a year now.But because of various obstaclesIt has been delayed, :(The good news is that I have finallystarted it and my kitchen isgetting there slow but sure.I wanted to start showing yousome of the photos so that you cansee the transformation as it unfolds.

So Lets get started....In this photo below you see theoriginal pink striped wallpaper,I started to strip it already.The china cabinet I had painted green with anantique glaze a few years ago..I liked it but I really wanted to have myvintage china more open and displayed prettier.....plus I desperately need more counter spaceand since we cant do a major remodel atthis time I have to work with what I have.So my brilliant brainstorm was to removethe top of the cabinet to open up the topof the buffet so that it could be used as counter space.

But my brilliant idea was not so brilliant because when we lifted it off we found a gaping hole!!!!

But it was hubbie to the rescue he filled the hole in with wood,

and for now I have the wood covered with a runner,

I'm hoping to get granite counter tops and also put a piece of granite on this piece to make it seem like part of the cabinetry.

I put up this scrumptious pink and cream

toile floral wallpaper from Grammercy.

I hung this shelving unit that someone

was throwing away on the wall.

I think it was part of some type of bedroom set.

I painted it white, and could now display

my china openly but still keep the counter space.

But the display part was a bit of a challenge!!

I can usually go into someones house and

tell them exactly what they need to

change, hang, rearrange...etc.....

but sometimes when it comes to your

own house you can get a block.

I didn't know where to start or what to do.

I stared anxiously at the wall for a long time.

Then decided just to start and let things start flowing....

Well things didn't flow too well.

Everything looked too blah..

too white on white....

I love that look when others do it,

Rachel Ashwell does a more neutral pallete with touches of color,

and Karla my new Jewel of the month does a more neutral color scheme,

Her home is beautiful!

but for some reason when I try to do the look I cant pull it off.:(

I realize along time ago that we can get inspiration

from different sources, we flip through magazines, go blogg hopping etc.. we see ideas that we love but the key is to take the

idea and make it our own,

Come up with our own interpetation of the look.

I dont consider my house shabby chic, or Victorian,

I have found the best way to describe my style is

.......English Cottage......

Its more embellished than shabby chic and has more color, it is full of china, roses and elegance but still very cottage and relaxed.

Not too overdone dark and heavy like Victorian sometimes can be.

I had some friends visiting last week from Paris and when they

saw my house they immediately said "oh your house is so English"

that is what I always thought but it was nice to have it confirmed.

I tend to need more color,

I like soft pastel color but I need more punches of it.

So I decided to paint the back of the shelving

unit a beautiful shade of green.

Its Martha Stewarts Index Card Green paint

that I had mixed at my Benjamin moore paint store.

Just so that the china stood out a bit and

not got so washed out against the white.

Immediately when I saw it I new I like it!

Now I had to arrange the china better,

At first I was arranging it and it looked like china soldiers all lined up.

Hi Sandra, I really enjoyed how you displayed the process to achieve a certain look you want it to become. Decorating or transforming a room takes time and I can't wait to see the finished results. Just by what I have seen, I think its going to turn out fabulous.

I am so glad you finally gave us our sneak peak at your kitchen redo. It is absolutely gorgeous. I feel like I am in my own home. I think we own some of the very same pieces. I know I too own that gorgeous pink lemonade container. It's one of my favs too.

Everything looks absolutely beautiful. The mosaics, the china, the wallpaper, the figurines ~ all 2DIE4.

I've missed chatting with you, but took a much needed break from blogging and creating. I'm actually still trying to get some rest. Hopefully my creative spirit will come back soon.

WOW!Everything looks soo beautiful and lovely! Wallpaper is stunning pattern! Your china collection is jaw dropping!!! I am soo envious of your lemonade beverage container. I have been looking all over for one! Do you have any idea where I can find one besides Austraila? hee! hee! :)

Thanks for stoping by my blog. I haven't been blogging lately myself-too many issues involving family. But I hope to have some new projects going on soon. I LOVE all you have going on in your kitchen. I re-did mine and it seems to take forever, but it is so worth it! I will be be watching!Gloria

Sandy I am drooling over that China!!! Who makes it? Hey did you get your earrings I mailed you? I was just making sure you are enjoying them! Lovely re-do of the kitchen...it is so you and breathtaking!!

you did an incredible job decorating you're kitchen you have a natural talent!! thanks for sharing Karla's Cottage with me it's beautiful as well. every picture you posted just got better and better =]